The present invention relates to an apparatus used for playing a game of golf and in particular to a putter type golf club having a unique handle configuration.
The game of golf is a game played with typically fourteen different golf club implements for hitting a golf ball from a teeing area into a hole on a putting green in the least number of strokes. Typically golf holes may be as short as 100 yards and as long as 600 plus yards. The putting green is a smooth well manicured surface at the far end of the golf hole, having a relatively small hole and directional pin which serves as the target for the golfer in playing the game. Once a golf ball reaches the smooth putting surface, a putter type golf club having a low lofted ball striking face, usually less than 6 degrees of loft, is used to roll the ball across the putting surface in a direction toward the hole. Typically a putting stroke, as opposed to a longer more forceful swing used with the other clubs for moving the ball much longer distances, is made by a golfer using only the hands, arms and shoulders, with the rest of his body in a relatively stable and still condition.
There are three main factors which influence the direction and distance that a golf ball rolls when being struck by a putter, namely the face angle of the putter at impact relative to the intended target line, the path of the club head relative to the target line and the point on the club face where the ball is struck relative to the center of percussion. Of these three factors the most important is the face angle direction. Therefore, a golfer must develop a putting stroke which maintains the face angle at a constant angular position during the execution of the stroke, if the golfer is to become proficient in the art of putting. Typically hand and wrist movement during a golf stroke will open and close the club face which directly results in a ball rolling in a direction away from the intended direction line. In order to achieve and maintain a constant ball striking face angle during the putting stroke, it has been found that elimination of hand movement during the stroke, such that the stroke is executed primarily by the shoulders and upper arms, produces the most consistent results.
Traditional golf type putters include a putter head having a single ball striking face for stroking a ball, an elongated shaft connected thereto and a generally cylindrical, tapered handle. This type of handle or grip make it difficult to maintain the club face in a square position relative to a given target line and various attempts have been made to modify putters in an attempt to keep the ball striking club face square to the line during the execution of a stroke.
For example, golf putters with elongated shafts and shafts which engage parts of the golfer""s torso are conventually used in an attempt to minimize hand movement. Such examples of these type of prior art putters are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,474 to Voyer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,879 to Collins and U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,577 to Trammell et al. among many others.
The shape of the putter handle has been modified in keeping within the rules of golf, as prescribed by the U.S. Golf Association, require that the handle of a golf club be symmetrical along it""s entire length. It is well known to use putter grips with a flat surface perpendicular to the club face for the purpose of providing a reference point to aid a golfer in keeping the ball striking face square to the target at impact with the golf ball. This structure conforms with the rules of golf. Other golf grip handles which include at least one flat surface are shown in U.S. Pat. No. D355,011 to Subnick, U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,426 to Sherwood, U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,403 to Farina and U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,327 to Terrell.
Still other prior art putter handle structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,109,653 to Biggs, U.S. Pat. No. 4,537403 to Farina, U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,372 to Cook, U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,120 to Mockovak, U.S. Pat. No. D377,070 to Gurrola, U.S. Pat. No. D355,444 to Deluca, U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,555 to Bailey, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,054 to Rodarte among many others.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved golf putter grip/handle having a unique configuration which promotes improved and consistent stroke control, stroke direction and distance thereby facilitating more predictable accurate and successful putting. This, in turn, creates a more enjoyable and satisfying golfing experience.
The handle has a generally oval shape when viewed in cross-section. In the preferred embodiment both ends of the oval shaped cross-section are arcuate with one end having a radius of curvature greater than the other and the sides are straight. The wide side of the handle is perpendicular to the plane along the ball striking face and parallel to a line in a direction toward an intended target. The ends of the handle are rounded along the entire elongated length of the handle between the club head and the top of the putter. In a preferred embodiment, the forward edge of the handle, toward the target direction has a first, larger radius whereas the rearward edge has a smaller radius. Wide, flat sides between the rounded forward and rearward edges taper from the forward edge radius to the rearward edge radius.
A second embodiment of the handle, in accordance with the present invention, is formed with a true oval, cross section with the longer elongated or longitudinal axis being parallel to the target line and perpendicular to the plane along the ball striking face of the club head.
All embodiments of the handle include a flat upper surface preferably cut at an angle parallel to the plane of the bottom of the putter head whereby the top of the handle is horizontal when the putter rests flat on a support surface, such as a putting green or the like. The upper surface includes alignment marks. The alignment marks are in the shape of a cross-hair, with a first line being located along the longer elongated or longitudinal axis of the oval in a direction toward the target and a second shorter line, crossing the first line, in a direction generally perpendicular to the target line.
The shaft of the golf club is connected directly into a lower end of the handle. The shaft may be connected at various points along the bottom of the handle as long as the rearward edge of the handle is offset from the center of the shaft. In one embodiment, the shaft is connected toward the forward edge of the handle. In another embodiment the shaft is connected closer to the center of the handle.
When the handle is grasped by a golfer, the oval cross-sectional shape of the handle having flat sides and rounded ends, tend to significantly reduce the wrist movement and flex normally encountered with a round handle during the execution of a putting stroke. The elimination of the wrist flex keeps the ball striking face in a square position relative to the intended target line longer thus improving stroke direction and distance. Because the handles greatest diameter is in a direction parallel with the direction of the putting stroke, the stroke path tends to become flatter toward the horizontal which results in a longer, in-line ball striking zone where the face remains essentially square. The unique handle construction because of its length in the direction toward the club head allows the handle to be gripped by a split hand grip where the right and left hands are separated vertically along the length of the handle and the dominant hand is much lower than the non-dominant hand. For a right handed golfer the dominant hand would be the right hand and the non-dominant hand would be the left hand. The putter may also be used with a forearm press type grip which positions a significant length of the putter handle against the dominate forearm, for example the right forearm for a right handed golfer, in an attempt to keep the right hand quiet during the stroke. The anterior bulge in the shape of the reducing oval of the handle gives a purchase to the left hand to grasp the handle and press it to the right forearm without having the hand encompass the handle which would prevent the proper positioning of the handle directly to the forearm. This handle configuration forces the lower gripping dominant hand to be located behind the shaft.
Using this grip the user""s dominate hand, usually the trailing hand, is placed lower on the handle, whereas the leading hand is placed high on the handle and in front of the putter head. Because the trailing hand is offset rearwardly, increased direction stroke control is achieved by the trailing hand. The placement of the hands on the flattened handle greatly reduces stroke pressure on the wrists of the user, all but eliminating the wrist and hands as a pivot point and moving the same to the upper portions of the arms and shoulders.
The cross-hair alignment marks on the top of the putter head are in a direct line of sight of the golfer as he applies his hands to the handle and lines up the putt to the intended target. The longer alignment line, across the longitudinal axis of the oval cross section of the top of the handle, is preset exactly at 90xc2x0 to the plane of the putter face and therefore reflects the direction that the putter face is aimed toward the intended target. The second line of the cross hair is parallel to the direction of the putter face. Once an intended target line is selected, this second line must be perpendicular to the target direction line in order for the club face to be square to the target. The golfer is able to use these alignment marks in conjunction with similar markings on the putter head as an aide to putter head alignment, as well as stroke direction, to insure that the club face is maintained perpendicular to the target during the execution of a putting stroke.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a putter type golf club having an improved handle structure to promote putting stroke accuracy.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a putter type golf club having a handle to enable the golfer to more readily determine the correct position of the club head relative to the horizontal green surface.
Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a putter type golf club having a handle which promotes feel and control with both hands and forces the dominant hand to be located on an offset behind the rear edge of the shaft.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a putter type golf club having a handle with alignment indicia to assist the golfer to locate the putter relative to an intended target line resulting in increased putting accuracy.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a putter type golf club having a handle which promotes a variety of putting grips including a split grip and a conjoined hands grip.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferred, but non-limiting, embodiments of the subject invention.